Smart devices, e.g., laptops and smartphones, have created a new type of challenge to mobile networks because these devices may keep a more or less permanent data connection to the mobile network. This may for example lead to increased signaling in the network. Further, this may also lead to increased traffic volume in the mobile network. In addition, new features of smart devices have a tendency to increase the data traffic of mobile network users, e.g., through application downloads or video streaming. At the same time, end users are demanding a better end to end quality of experience (QoE). To address this demand for improved QoE, mobile networks provide mechanisms for controlling the Quality of Service (QoS) provided for data traffic related to certain services, e.g., Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony or multimedia service.
In order to manage usage of network resources, mobile networks according to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) are provided with a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) architecture, see, e.g., 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 23.203. The PCC architecture allows the operators to achieve real-time control of their network resources, control subscriber access to services, and proactively optimize network capacity. Currently, an end user, i.e., a subscriber accessing the mobile network with a user equipment (UE), can customize some PCC functions. For example, this can be achieved by a call to a customer service center. However, other possibilities of interaction between the end user and the PCC architecture are limited.
Accordingly, there is a general need for techniques which provide possibilities of communication between a network node of the mobile network and an end user, e.g., for interactively configuring network functions such as the above-mentioned PCC functions.